The No. 2-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College baseball team responded in a big way from its first three-game losing streak since the 2017 season, defeating No. 15 Loyola University (Louisiana) 18-1 and Talladega College (Alabama) 13-3 on Sunday afternoon at the Grizzly Baseball Complex.

The Grizzlies (21-5) suffered hard-fought losses to Loyola and Talladega during Saturday's action on their home diamond.

A new day brought a new attitude and performance for GGC. The team jumped out to an 13-0 lead in the opener against Loyola behind a five-run first inning and adding eight runs an inning later. The first four batters in the lineup had a base hit before junior Jackson Cobb, the fifth batter, laid down a safety squeeze bunt that scored the third run of the opening frame.

"There was so much vent up energy for today that was reflected on the scoreboard. The players showed up in a big way. We punched early and created separation, and that set the tone for the entire day," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.

Junior Paul Winland Jr. opened the productive second inning with an RBI single up the middle. Back-to-back bases-loaded walks to juniors Caden Smith and Matthew Lee gave the Grizzlies a 9-0 lead. Senior Blaze O'Saben followed with a two-run single before junior Braxton Meguiar added two more runs with single to right-center field.

GGC scored in five of its six offensive innings against the Wolf Pack (17-8).

The early run support helped junior starting pitcher Ben Harris improve to 5-0 on the season. The right hander struck out 11 batters and scattered seven hits in the complete-game performance.

O'Saben paced the team's 14-hit offensive attack by going 4-for-5, with four runs scored, from the top of the batting order. Meguiar collected three hits and drove in two runs. Winland Jr. legged out a pair of doubles as part of a 3-for-4 performance, with three RBI.

In the nightcap, the Grizzlies used a pair of big innings to win another seven-inning contest. Junior Cohen Wilbanks lined a go-ahead RBI single up the middle to give GGC a 3-2 lead in the second inning. O'Saben followed with a two-run home run to left field, his seventh round tripper of the 2024 season.

Then, the team plated six runs in the seventh inning to secure the home triumph. Junior Joe Quelch opened the inning with an RBI single to right-center field. Wilbanks added a run-scoring single to center field. Meguiar gave the hosts an 11-3 lead with a single to left field before Sczepkowski legged out a two-run double.

Four Grizzlies tallied two hits in the team's balanced 11-hit offensive attack.

Senior left hander Tyler Clayton struck out six batters and went the distance on the mound, improving to 5-0 on the season in the process.


  "We got back to doing the simple things that win for us, built on trust and love. Our guys needed to trust each other, have trust in themselves, and then double down on the love within our dugout. That was a big reason the scoreboard turned around for us today," said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger.
  The Grizzlies quickly shook off two disappointing Saturday losses by opening the Loyola contest with four consecutive hits and a sacrifice bunt that scored three runs. Five runs came in the opening frame and GGC put the contest out of reach by adding eight more runs one inning later.
  Loyola Game
Bottom of First
Ajay Sczepkowski opened the scoring with a run-scoring double to right field
Paul Winland Jr. hit an RBI double to left field
Caden Smith added a run-scoring single to left-center field
Joe Quelch scored following a wild pitch to give the Grizzlies a 5-0 lead
 
Bottom of Second
Henry Daniels hit a sacrifice fly that brought home Ajay Sczepkowski
Matthew Lee drew a bases-loaded walk that plated the ninth run
Blaze O'Saben brought home a pair of runs with a single up the middle of the diamond
Braxton Meguiar capped the eight-run frame with an RBI single to right-center field
 
Bottom of Third
Jackson Cobb hit a run-scoring double to right field that scored Paul Winland Jr.
 
Bottom of Sixth
Ajay Sczepkowski connected on a solo home run to left field, his eighth round tripper of the 2024 season
 
Talladega Game
Bottom of Second
Cohen Wilbanks lined a go-ahead RBI single up the middle to give GGC a 3-2 lead
Blaze O'Saben hit a two-run home run over the left field fence
 
Bottom of Seventh
Joe Quelch added a run-scoring single to right field
Braxton Meguiar collected an RBI single to left field that brought home Peyton Peoples
Ajay Sczepkowski lined a two-run double to end the contest
 

• The Grizzlies recorded 25 hits across Sunday's two games, highlighted by 14 hits against Loyola
• Junior pitcher Ben Harris struck out 11 batters to improve to 5-0 on the season; senior hurler Tyler Clayton has the same record after tossing a complete game in the nightcap
• GGC successfully stole eight bases against Talladega; the team leads all NAIA teams in that category
• Senior Blaze O'Saben went 6-for-11 with seven runs scored and four RBI on the day

• GGC improves to 23-5 this spring; Loyola stands 17-8 on the season; Talladega is 15-11 in 2024
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 2 in the NAIA Top 25 poll; Loyola stood No. 15 in the same poll
• Senior Ajay Sczepkowski hit the 41st home run of his career, this one coming during the sixth inning of the Loyola contest

Georgia Gwinnett College is scheduled to host Middle Georgia State University on Tuesday, March 19, at the Grizzly Baseball Complex, starting at 6 p.m.